Shedd Aquarium is diving into its 95th anniversary with a look back through time, unveiling rarely seen archival photos that showcase the landmark’s first opening.

Opened on May 30, 1930, Shedd was the vision of department store magnate John G. Shedd, who aimed to give Chicago an aquarium that would rival those in other major cities. With an initial gift of $2 million, Shedd established the Shedd Aquarium Society in 1924 to build and operate a museum of aquatic life “to construct, maintain and operate an aquarium or museum of aquatic life exclusively for educational and scientific purposes,” according to Shedd Aquarium’s website .

“For 95 years, Shedd Aquarium has been bringing people beneath the water’s surface to spark compassion, curiosity and conservation for the aquatic world,"

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